VIDEO: Aggravated robberies: Police capture suspect

Officers from several law enforcement agencies captured a suspect Wednesday night wanted in connection with two armed robberies and aggravated assaults in the Tyler-Lindale area.

Based on information received about 4 p.m. Wednesday from the Lindale Police Department, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office set up surveillance off Lavender Road about a half mile north of Loop 323 and conducted surveillance about an hour and a half, Sheriff Larry Smith said.

“When one of our surveillance units noticed Adam Heath Bowers walking into the woods at a fast rate of speed, we set up a perimeter and called in other units to help,” Smith said.

The narcotics unit, patrol and several criminal investigation units from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office as well as Lindale Police Department conducted the initial surveillance.

Units later called in for assistance included the U.S. Marshall’s Fugitive Task Force, a Department of Public Safety helicopter from Longview, the Precinct 5 constable and Texas rangers and troopers.

The helicopter spotted Bowers lying face down in the woods trying to hide and a Smith County K-9 unit took him into custody about 7 p.m., Smith said.

Because Bowers, like many fugitives, had vowed not to be taken alive and to go out in a blaze of glory, officers exercised caution in apprehending the suspect, Smith said

Bowers, 34, was questioned by detectives in the Smith County Sheriff’s Office prior to being booked into the Smith County jail on two counts of aggravated robbery, one being investigated by Lindale Police Department and the other investigated by Tyler Police Department.

Those charges stemmed from reports of a man having taken items from the Family Dollar Store on Frankston Highway on Monday and a report that the same man took items Tuesday from the Lindale Wal-Mart.

Bowers also was charged Wednesday by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office with aggravated assault in connection with an incident off Highway 64 West near Tyler Pounds Airport where he allegedly shot at someone, Smith said.

Pre-set bond on the aggravated assault charge was $100,000 and Smith expected bonds on the other two charges to be about the same amount.